Steps to become a PRO !!
09-11-06 | 01:56 PM
#26
Dirt-riding heretic
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From: Gig Harbor, WA
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Originally Posted by goaliedad30
While I get the senitment, 30,000 miles a year is 100 miles per day x 300 riding days per year. That's 6 days a week, every week, all year. Perhaps a slight exaggeration?
A little more lenient, TrainingPeaks.com tells me that to be a pro racer you should expect to train about 1200 hours/year, which is 3 1/2 hours a day assuming you train EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR.
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09-11-06 | 01:57 PM
#28
Senior Member
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Originally Posted by Ryleeryno
Wanna be a pro? Start out by purchasing a Motobecane from Bikes Direct.
You ride 20 miles a day? That's more than I ride, but it hardly seems like enough to build a base to become a pro rider. Elite runners log about 100-140 miles per week. And that's running! I would think you would need to be doing 4 to 5 times that distance in riding to build a base. But maybe you are genetically gifted and have the heart of a champion, so who am I to say? Good luck!
09-11-06 | 02:06 PM
#29
the great shark hunt
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From: Manitoba Canada
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i'm starting to think this thread was started only because the OP knew it would get peoples panties in a twist...
09-11-06 | 02:33 PM
#30
Lanterne Rouge
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Originally Posted by goaliedad30
While I get the senitment, 30,000 miles a year is 100 miles per day x 300 riding days per year. That's 6 days a week, every week, all year. Perhaps a slight exaggeration?
A lot of racers log in tonnes of miles/year. And yes, expect multiple centuries a week if you plan to have a strong enough engine to hang with the big boys.
I think it's hard to "see" results - because we're training a muscle that's deep in our chests. Whereas if we were weightlifters - we can literally measure and see the definition created by workouts.
I'm hoping to cash in 200 miles/week as a student... that equates to ~ 6400 miles by April 2007.
Pretty pathetic if you consider what would be expected if I were to be pro. Then again, if I were - I wouldn't need to go to school and train at the same time...
-simplyred
09-11-06 | 02:53 PM
#34
Faster but still slow
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Jersey
Bikes: Trek 830 circa 1993 and a Fuji WSD Finest 1.0 2006
Let's put it this way. I ride as much or more than you do. I am 33, a woman, and 80 lbs overweight.
My brother was a professional rider for several years. He was VERY good, but VERY good is not the same as gainfully employed. He holds numerous Junior amateur records that still stand.
He was tremendously dedicated, hard working, did nothing else but ride, and still never made it to the tour. He made perhaps 20k a year and had to room with various families in Belgium that support cyclists. He had to learn to speak Flemish. He would ride in races that had payouts in food. Yes, at one point he raced for sausage. He raced constantly to make ends meet.
He had many connections in the racing world and had sponsors and coaches. He put more miles on his bikes than I did on my cars. To be a proracer means to make big sacrifices with little chance for returns. Be ready for it.
My brother was a professional rider for several years. He was VERY good, but VERY good is not the same as gainfully employed. He holds numerous Junior amateur records that still stand.
He was tremendously dedicated, hard working, did nothing else but ride, and still never made it to the tour. He made perhaps 20k a year and had to room with various families in Belgium that support cyclists. He had to learn to speak Flemish. He would ride in races that had payouts in food. Yes, at one point he raced for sausage. He raced constantly to make ends meet.
He had many connections in the racing world and had sponsors and coaches. He put more miles on his bikes than I did on my cars. To be a proracer means to make big sacrifices with little chance for returns. Be ready for it.
09-11-06 | 03:03 PM
#36
Faith-Vigilance-Service
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Port Orchard, WA
Bikes: Trinity, Paradisus, Centurion, Mongoose, Trek
After reading all these posts, I think everyone is leaving out the most important factor.
If you truly want to become a PRO at your age, then you'll have to start by quitting Graduate school.
You'll need every minute of your day for training, resting, eating a proper diet, mainting an absolute mental focus (sans graduate school), and racing on a regular basis. This will without a doubt, take more time than graduate school can provide.
I mean not to sound like a killjoy, but you may be better off by concentrating on your studies and getting a normal job. One that you've already begun to prepare yourself for.
Oh, and there's no reason not to continue a very vigorous cycling lifestyle, including some racing.
If you truly want to become a PRO at your age, then you'll have to start by quitting Graduate school.
You'll need every minute of your day for training, resting, eating a proper diet, mainting an absolute mental focus (sans graduate school), and racing on a regular basis. This will without a doubt, take more time than graduate school can provide.
I mean not to sound like a killjoy, but you may be better off by concentrating on your studies and getting a normal job. One that you've already begun to prepare yourself for.
Oh, and there's no reason not to continue a very vigorous cycling lifestyle, including some racing.
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09-11-06 | 03:12 PM
#37
Up and comer
Joined: Feb 2006
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Honestly, being a pro cyclist isn't a good job. You may think, I love cycling, I'll love it no matter what, by the time (if) you become a pro, it'll be BORING- I guarantee it. There's much more money to be made in the Big 4 sports- baseball, hockey, basketball, football. Jan Ullrich made like what, 2.5M Euros last year? $5M US- chump change in terms of a player at the very pinnacle of their sport.
09-11-06 | 03:18 PM
#38
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Originally Posted by botto
according to pedex all you have to is become a bike messenger and you're a pro 
I would go far as to say he's a professional biker.
09-11-06 | 03:21 PM
#39
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Originally Posted by Pizza Man
Here are the steps to become a Pro Racer:
I've been at this about 1 year so far, so
1) Ride lots - as much as you can and even more
2) Find group rides. If you're not the strongest guy there keep riding with this group until you are, then find a stronger group.
3) Get a USCF license. https://www.usacycling.org
4) Do your Cat 5 races, if you're dominating these races, get a coach and upgrade to Cat 4.
5) Cat 4 to Cat 3 should only take 3-6 races if you're really good and placing in the top 3. If you're not dominating Cat 4 the likelihood of going pro is about 10 million to 1.
6) Spend 4-8 races in Cat 3. If you're not consistantly in the top 3, the liklihood of going pro is about 1 million to 1.
7) Upgrade to Cat 2.
That's as far as I've made it so far.
I plan to really build a strong base this winter and next year I hope to move up to Cat 1 and try a couple stage races against the domestic pro teams (Toyota United, etc.). That will be the true test. If I can't hang with those guys I'll go back to racing in the local 35+ races and just have fun.
Even if you do go from Cat 5 to Cat 2 (or even Cat 1) in your first year the chance of becoming a pro racer are still very very slim. I have no plans to quit my day job......yet.
Good luck!
PM
ps, what part of CA are you moving to?
I've been at this about 1 year so far, so
1) Ride lots - as much as you can and even more
2) Find group rides. If you're not the strongest guy there keep riding with this group until you are, then find a stronger group.
3) Get a USCF license. https://www.usacycling.org
4) Do your Cat 5 races, if you're dominating these races, get a coach and upgrade to Cat 4.
5) Cat 4 to Cat 3 should only take 3-6 races if you're really good and placing in the top 3. If you're not dominating Cat 4 the likelihood of going pro is about 10 million to 1.
6) Spend 4-8 races in Cat 3. If you're not consistantly in the top 3, the liklihood of going pro is about 1 million to 1.
7) Upgrade to Cat 2.
That's as far as I've made it so far.
I plan to really build a strong base this winter and next year I hope to move up to Cat 1 and try a couple stage races against the domestic pro teams (Toyota United, etc.). That will be the true test. If I can't hang with those guys I'll go back to racing in the local 35+ races and just have fun.
Even if you do go from Cat 5 to Cat 2 (or even Cat 1) in your first year the chance of becoming a pro racer are still very very slim. I have no plans to quit my day job......yet.
Good luck!
PM
ps, what part of CA are you moving to?
Pizza Man: The Winner of the 2009 Tour de France. You heard it here first.
09-11-06 | 03:50 PM
#40
.
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Originally Posted by worker4youth
Technically he's right. Anyone's "pro" if they get paid to do it. He's a professional bike messenger. He's not a professional racer.
I would go far as to say he's a professional biker.
I would go far as to say he's a professional biker.
But if you insist, then i was a pro chef when i worked at Mickey D's, DrPete was a pro driver when he was a valet, yada, yada, yada...
09-11-06 | 03:53 PM
#41
Dirt-riding heretic
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From: Gig Harbor, WA
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Originally Posted by botto
NOT!
But if you insist, then i was a pro chef when i worked at Mickey D's, DrPete was a pro driver when he was a valet, yada, yada, yada...
But if you insist, then i was a pro chef when i worked at Mickey D's, DrPete was a pro driver when he was a valet, yada, yada, yada...
__________________
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
09-11-06 | 04:10 PM
#44
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From: Los Angeles
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Originally Posted by worker4youth
I would go far as to say he's a professional biker.
"Professional biker" implies biking is the profession.
His profession is a messenger. The bike is simply a tool of the trade.
09-11-06 | 05:55 PM
#45
Shut Up and Ride
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Originally Posted by LA_Rider
I wouldn't.
"Professional biker" implies biking is the profession.
His profession is a messenger. The bike is simply a tool of the trade.
"Professional biker" implies biking is the profession.
His profession is a messenger. The bike is simply a tool of the trade.
What about me.... I work part time as a Pharmacist Technician.... does that mean I'm a pro drug dealer?
09-11-06 | 06:06 PM
#46
PS NOT STOLEN
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From: San Francisco, CA
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Originally Posted by domestique
What about me.... I work part time as a Pharmacist Technician.... does that mean I'm a pro drug dealer?
09-11-06 | 06:19 PM
#47
Vanned.
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Originally Posted by botto
NOT!
But if you insist, then i was a pro chef when i worked at Mickey D's, DrPete was a pro driver when he was a valet, yada, yada, yada...
But if you insist, then i was a pro chef when i worked at Mickey D's, DrPete was a pro driver when he was a valet, yada, yada, yada...
Look at 2c of this definition:
https://www.m-w.com/dictionary/professional
09-11-06 | 08:05 PM
#50
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From: Tucson, AZ
Bikes: 1993 Specialized Allez, 2003 Gios A70 Ultralite, 2002 Rossin Synthesis
Originally Posted by Patriot
After reading all these posts, I think everyone is leaving out the most important factor.
If you truly want to become a PRO at your age, then you'll have to start by quitting Graduate school.
You'll need every minute of your day for training, resting, eating a proper diet, mainting an absolute mental focus (sans graduate school), and racing on a regular basis. This will without a doubt, take more time than graduate school can provide.
I mean not to sound like a killjoy, but you may be better off by concentrating on your studies and getting a normal job. One that you've already begun to prepare yourself for.
Oh, and there's no reason not to continue a very vigorous cycling lifestyle, including some racing.
If you truly want to become a PRO at your age, then you'll have to start by quitting Graduate school.
You'll need every minute of your day for training, resting, eating a proper diet, mainting an absolute mental focus (sans graduate school), and racing on a regular basis. This will without a doubt, take more time than graduate school can provide.
I mean not to sound like a killjoy, but you may be better off by concentrating on your studies and getting a normal job. One that you've already begun to prepare yourself for.
Oh, and there's no reason not to continue a very vigorous cycling lifestyle, including some racing.